Where's My Money?
There is only one thing in this world more important than love and family. And that's money. The more Chateau got into dealing with the Underworld, the clearer it became that this world operated on such a principle. Several months ago, the ebony captain was nothing more than an apprentice to a master hotelier. But now? He served as a master thief. A man who sailed the seas with his ragtag group of misfits fighting to survive another day in a world ruled by chaos. Still, this lesson helped him understand why what his master taught him was so important. The true value of friendship and the relationship with those around him. Without them, Chateau would have befell to countless threats in the past. Chateau hated red-light districts. Filled with pain and suffering brought upon by the inability to reject one's carnal impulses. And this place was the absolute worst! An entire island. A red-light ISLAND if one would. It smelled of sex and drugs. He heard the moans and groans of degenerates. Felt their demonic orgasms radiating in the tainted air. He'd be lying if his pockets weren't itching a bit... But that's not why Chateau was here! He heard rumors of a former acquaintance of Yeomra in operating in these parts. Despite the constant battles and his passion for attacking the Underworld, Chateau still had the goal of destroying the Underworld. So he needed as much information as possible. Rather than ask around aimlessly and draw attention to himself. The well dressed gentleman decided to visit the brothel said to be owned by his target. "Good evening, welcome to the Crown Jasmine." The woman said as she emerged. Chateau watched as the woman looked him bottom up. "Is everything okay?" "Of course. It's just...its not everyday we get a known supernova here." "I hope that won't be too much of a problem." "Of course not." The olden mistress said with a slight smile. She emerged, showing her pink dress, and wrapped her arm around Chateau's. "Right this way, I'll be glad to show you what we have in store." "Please...and thank you." Mon Reji was not at the brothel for the same reason as Chateau. Reji wasn't even there because he wanted to be. He was in the back alley, held up by his ankles upside down, his face a mess of bruises and bloody cuts. Two bouncers at the Brothel had finally caught him after skipping out on his last few tabs. The headstrong Junior groaned and waved his hand in front of his beat up face, trying to dissuade his attackers. "Hey hey now! Let's not get ahead of ourselves, boys! I have your money! I do! I just need to go get-" He grunted as he was punched in the face again. One of the bouncers grinned at the skinny young man. "Yeah yeah, you say that every time we catch you, Reji. And every time we find you again." Another punch caused the boy to cough and hang limply. "Storytime is over, you half-bit trasher. We're gonna clip those ears to make sure you remember our words next time." He threw a handful of change into the boy's face. "Here, you can try and bribe us with this." Reji groaned and coughed a little, laughing weakly. "Kekekeke... y-you're stupid if you th-think beating up your clients i-is a good way to get money out of them..." Despite his words, he knew he was in a pickle. "I-I'll give you fifty g-grand to st-stop..." It was a lie, the money he owned was the change that the Bouncer threw in his face. Abandoned by her captain because she spoke up against the marines colluding with the underworld and appearing in places such as the red-light district goes against what we stand and for that, her captain left her to find her own way back to headquarters. This child-like behaviour displeased Afuro but wasn’t in the right position to challenge her captain so she got off the ship and went off into the red-light district. Afuro walked around the red-light district getting ideas for her next poem when suddenly a man grabbed her ass. “Excuse me,” she said And suddenly felt the gazes of lustful men on her. Realizing walking around aimlessly in the red-light district would just lead to trouble; she went to find a shipyard so she could get out of this hellhole but continuously got lost repeatedly when she suddenly hears coins falling on the floor in an alleyway… Reji's nose was bleeding, but with his hands dragging on the ground, he could feel his fingertips touching the coins the guard had thrown at him. Sighing to himself, he gripped weakly. The numbers ringing in his head rolled up like a cash register, a slight 'ka-ching' sound echoing from him. "Two thousand, two-hundred and fifty belly... N-not much for rich guys like you but it'll manage." He squeezed the coins in his hands before putting two heavy coins on his thumbs. "Five Hundred Berry Rifle." The coins shot out from his thumbs as he flicked them, striking one of the bodyguards in the chin and lifting him up off the ground, while striking another in the eyebrow, sending him screaming backwards as his eye-socket shattered. This, unfortunately, forced the guards to drop Reji unceremoniously on the hard alley pavement. Grunting, Reji staggered to his feet. Looking at the remaining money in his hand, he panted, leaning against the wall. "K-Kekeke. That'll show you that you c-can't fight the Bank!" He laughed at his own joke before staggering out of the alleyway... And nearly smack dab into Afuro. Spotting her, he groaned a little. "Oh hello there. Y-you should call an ambulance, there's been an attack in that alley, the assaulter ran down the other side. You stay here, I'll go for help." He put an arm around her to steady himself, trying to act friendly while also seeing if she had a wallet he could lift. “you seem capable to help yourself, now may you please get off me” dropping him to the ground gently. Afuro witnessed Reji's quarrel with the bodyguards and realized Reji was in a bit of a gamble so Afuro decided to aid Reji. She decided to give him money but she realized she didn't have her wallet on her, she looked right at Reji with his smirk face "Do you by chance have my wallet?" Reji was already walking away from the young Marine, whistling and tossing her wallet over his shoulder, trying to disappear into the crowd. "A hundred grand, wow, you some kind of runaway royalty or something? Holy cow." However, his bad luck reared his head as the crowd parted for a moment, leaving him standing out in the open and thumbing through the money. His wounds healed, his ears reverting back to their normal sharp and pointed ways. Another 'ka-ching' sound could be heard, and he looked through the cash remaining in his hands. "Cool, still got a good eighty grand. I can pay off my debts! Or... maybe I could double it at the tracks..." He whistled brightly, not realizing that the Marine girl could clearly see where he was. Afuro heading towards Reji whistled "uhm...sir I can see you". Afuro getting closer to Reji, who could hear her heels on the ground. " I believe that wallet belongs to me" as she got closer seeing that Reji has miraculously healed "so please kindly return it" clinching at her weapon "I don't want any trouble". the crowd standing on the sides silently watching as it seems a fight will break out "so will you do as I ask" Afuro puts her hand on his shoulder to turn him around. Feeling her hand on his shoulder, he flinched. Unfortunately, powered up through the money he just had stolen and unused to the swelling power, this turned his flinch into a full-on backhand strike at the woman. While he wasn't strong or skilled physically, the strike would still make his hand feel like someone had hit them with a cinderblock. Two thoughts sprang into his mind as he lashed out; to ask if the woman was okay, and to say he was so fucking sorry. Instead... He shouted at the girl after the strike landed or missed. "ARE YOU FUCKING SORRY!?" He covered his mouth instantly, his eyes wide in panic. He had just assaulted a Marine, a girl, a younger and smaller person than him, and screamed at her like it was her fault. No matter what Afuro did at this point, the damage to his reputation was already felt as people started booing him and throwing garbage. "All the world is the same," Afuro said while attempting to get up "even when kindly approached you do not hesitate to retaliate, why is that?" wiping the blood dripping from her nose "well it doesn't matter because I intend to eradicate those who are injust" Afuro picking up Gōrudengurōbu "and ill start with you" Afuro quickly appeared in front off Reji, attempting to strike all his pressure points to quickly immobilise him, but Rejis hit took more off a toll on Afuro. She got her hits in but she completely missed his pressure points, you could see Afuro struggling to stay afoot, Reji felt pain but not the pain he was intended to feel. Reji staggered back, frowning and looking at the Marine with a dazed, confused look. "Wh-what did you do to-" The pain washed over him, the short shock to the system letting the pain through. He thudded a fist on the ground, shaking his head a little. "Holy shit d-did you s-shoot me?" A ringing in his ears like coins dropping on ceramic filled his head. The ticker above his head indicating the money in his pocket shook and started to roll down, the wounds she inflicted on him disappearing, digging into his account. Standing shakily, he took an amateur boxing stance. "I k-knew that a damn Marine would attack with lethal force over shit like this... but m-man I thought my Human Privilege would at least give me a warning. Fine. Let's try a Ten-Grand Jab!" A ka-ching sound rang out as a punch was thrown out towards the girl, as strong and fast as a bomb explosion. Afuro still feeling the effects of Rejis previous punch, new in her current state she wouldn't be able to dodge this attack. So she began to transform into her hybrid form, just before Rejis punch landed she flew into the air "that was to close". Afuro began to rapidly circle Reji at high speeds sucking the oxygen from Reji, this was to just make sure he couldn't dodge the next attacks "its gonna take time for you to catch your breath". Afuro switched back to her human form and began walking towards Reji "I am sorry I can not lose this fight" at this moment she is right in front of Reji "I have no time for delays if I am to change this world". Afuro swiftly started moving her arms they became water like quickly and swiftly engaging with all the pressure points on Reji's body. Reji swung his arms weakly in front of him, trying to connect with an attack, but nothing was happening. With the air driven from his lungs, he tried fleeing, but couldn't find a way out of the attack.